Sauropod communities in the Upper
Jurassic of North America include four or
five sauropods that co-existed, all feeding on the various plants
of the time. The most common of these animals were Diplodocus and Camarasaurus.
The immense size of sauropods presents an interesting ecological problem: how did the sauropods
share food resources? If several species had to compete for the same food resource, it is likely
that one or more would have gone extinct in the territory that the sauropods shared.
The obvious place to look for clues is in the mouths of these animals.

The dentitions of sauropod dinosaurs include two basic tooth types; a robust, spatulate tooth
form, exhibited by Camarasaurus (see skull at lower left), and a gracile,
peg-like tooth form, seen in Diplodocus (see skull below right). Based on these dentitions, it
has been inferred that Diplodocus ate soft, aquatic vegetation, or that its teeth were used
for nipping or raking the fronds of terrestrial vegetation, while Camarasaurus ate tougher
vegetation.

Experimental work on the microscopic wear patterns on the teeth of modern mammals has provided
insights into the diets of extinct animals, including sauropods. Examination of the teeth of
Diplodocus and Camarasaurus reveals two basic patterns of wear: a coarsely scratched
and pitted surface, and a finely scratched surface. The coarser pattern is present on
Camarasaurus teeth, although finer scratches also occur. The fine scratch pattern is on the
teeth of Diplodocus and in some cases the teeth of Camarasaurus.

These two different patterns of microwear present two possible interpretations (see closeups below).
First, Camarasaurus and Diplodocus may have eaten different foods. Considering,
however, that there is some overlap in scratch morphology between these two animals, it
is reasonable to infer that there may have been some degree of dietary overlap
between these sauropods.

Alternatively, increased amounts of grit (wind-blown particles) in the diet of
Camarasaurus may account for the increased wear on its teeth compared to
Diplodocus. Grit may be the dominant influence on the type of wear pattern
observable on teeth. The amount of grit taken in by an animal feeding is obviously
related to browsing height; therefore, Diplodocus may have browsed
at a higher level than did Camarasaurus.

Additionally, differential browsing height may be inferred by an examination
of the back of the skulls of Camarasaurus and Diplodocus. The occipital
region is deflected downward at a much greater angle in Diplodocus than in
Camarasaurus, suggesting that the skull of Diplodocus was carried at a
higher level than that of Camarasaurus. There are, however, reasonable anatomical
and physiological constraints on inferring excessively high levels of browsing for these
sauropods.

There is little evidence to support one hypothesis more than the other.
However, microscopic examination of the wear patterns on the teeth of these two
sauropods does indicate that sauropods did feed somewhat selectively,
contrary to previous thinking.